HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES
THURSDAY, 12 JUNE 2025
INDIA
The Secretary-General said the following on social media about the plane crash that took place today in India: I am deeply saddened by the terrible news of the plane crash in Ahmedabad, India. My heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all affected.
[Later during the briefing, the Deputy Spokesperson read the following statement:
Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the Plane Crash in India
The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the news of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on 12 June, which claimed the lives of more than 200 people aboard as well as the loss of life and injuries at the BJ Medical College hostel, which was struck during the crash.
He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of India, as well as to all countries whose citizens were affected by this tragedy. He wishes a swift and full recovery to those who were injured.]
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the Gaza Strip, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that a complete collapse of internet and data services is paralyzing aid operations across the Gaza Strip. Our partners working on telecommunications say this is due to damage to the last fibre cable route serving central and southern Gaza, likely caused during heavy military activity.
They warn that this is not a routine outage, but a total failure of Gaza’s digital infrastructure. Lifelines to emergency services, humanitarian coordination, and critical information for civilians have all been cut. There is a full internet blackout, and mobile networks are barely functioning.
In a context already limited by physical access restrictions and widespread damage, emergency services are cut off, and civilians cannot access life-saving support.
You will have seen UNRWA’s post earlier today saying they’ve lost contact with colleagues in Gaza. That’s true for most agencies – we’re largely cut off from our teams on the ground.
Meanwhile, OCHA warns that the fuel blockade – imposed by Israeli authorities for over 100 days now – has reached a critical point. Fuel is running out fast, and essential services that keep people alive are now dangerously close to shutting down.
Yesterday, we mentioned health, water and sanitation facilities. Just to give you a clearer picture: Our colleagues working on health now warn that nearly 80 per cent of health facilities providing life-saving services may very soon run out of fuel. That’s 67 out of 85 such facilities – including 17 hospitals, seven field hospitals, and 43 primary healthcare centres. They warn that lives are on the line, particularly newborns who depend on incubators and ventilators, and other patients in critical care units.
Hemodialysis services are also expected to cease. Ambulance services and patient referrals are expected to come to a halt, effectively eliminating the so-called "golden hour" critical for trauma care – that’s the crucial first hour after trauma injury, when medical treatment is most likely to save a person's life.
Other critical services that could be affected by fuel depletion are water wells and desalination systems.
You will recall that more than a dozen attempts to retrieve such fuel from northern Gaza were denied by Israeli authorities before 260,000 litres ended up being looted. Today, an attempt to retrieve fuel was initially approved, after weeks of repeated access denials, but it could not be accomplished. The UN Office for Project Services, UNOPS, said that shelling forced the team to turn back, with one fuel truck driver sustaining injury.
OCHA calls on the Israeli authorities to urgently restore the entry of fuel into Gaza and facilitate access to reserves that are already inside, in hard-to-reach areas.
OCHA warns that civilians also continue to be displaced in Gaza. Today, Israeli authorities issued displacement orders for six neighbourhoods across three governorates: Gaza North, Gaza and Khan Younis. Together, these orders encompass over three square kilometres, which were already covered by previous displacement orders. OCHA reminds us that, just like fuel, for over 100 days, the Israeli authorities have not allowed any tents or other shelter materials into the Gaza Strip.
An update on the limited supplies that we’ve been able to bring into Gaza: Yesterday, our teams collected 56 truckloads of food supplies from Kerem Shalom and brought them to northern Gaza.
This is the first time since before the full blockade on all supplies, including aid – which started in early March – that we have been allowed to use the Zikim entry point – also known as Erez West. This made it relatively safer for humanitarian teams to reach the north, where the supplies have already been distributed. We're also working to send more supplies to Kerem Shalom, and will have more information on this once we manage to bring those supplies in.
Finally, you will have seen a statement by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that Palestinians involved in distributing supplies have been attacked, and some of them killed. While we don’t have independent information on this – and the telecommunications blackout isn’t helping us here – OCHA reiterates that civilians must never be attacked, let alone those trying to access or provide food amid mass starvation.
UNIFIL
The Head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon and Force Commander, Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro, discussed with the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Rodolph Haykal, the importance of strong coordination between UNFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces, unrestricted freedom of movement for peacekeepers, and the full re-deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon. This will help restore stability and extend State authority as required under resolution 1701. The meeting took place in Naqoura, in southern Lebanon, yesterday.
The strong coordination was further demonstrated through the completion of 24 operational activities in support of the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces along the Blue Line. Additionally, the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force conducted training with the Lebanese Air Force off the coast of Lebanon. Yesterday, UNIFIL discovered two abandoned ammunition and weapons caches, one of which consisted of a rocket launching platform, and the other 30 rockets, found during a joint patrol with the Lebanese Armed Forces. The Lebanese Armed Forces disposed of all the reported items.
Also yesterday, UNIFIL peacekeepers reported two incidents of denial of freedom of movement.
In the more serious incident, a group of around 40 individuals in civilian clothes threw stones at a UNIFIL patrol near Bayt Lif in Sector West, causing damage to the vehicles. We reiterate that Lebanese authorities must ensure that UNIFIL has fully unrestricted freedom of movement throughout its area of operations.
YEMEN / SECURITY COUNCIL
This morning, Security Council members held a briefing on the situation in Yemen.
Hans Grundberg, our Special Envoy for Yemen, said that there is a need to build on the recent cessation of hostilities in the Red Sea. He added that this effort goes hand in hand with the ongoing work towards a roadmap that will help Yemen overcome its current divisions and lead to a comprehensive ceasefire and an inclusive peace process.
For her part, Joyce Msuya, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that over 17 million people – or nearly half of Yemen’s population – are estimated to be acutely hungry. Humanitarians are doing their best, she said, but the response is constrained by the lack of funding.
Both officials called for the unconditional and immediate release of UN and other colleagues detained by the Houthis.
SUDAN
On Sudan, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, said in a statement today that again and again, the international community has said that we will protect the people of Sudan. He said the people of Sudan should ask us if, when and how we will start to deliver on that promise, because their country has become a grim example of twin themes of this moment: indifference and impunity.
Mr. Fletcher said that Sudan is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 30 million people – half the population – in need of lifesaving aid. From Kordofan to Darfur, the war has left civilians trapped, starving, without the basics they need for their survival. Indiscriminate shelling, drone attacks and other air strikes kill, injure and displace people in staggering numbers.
He called for funding and accountability, calling on all with influence to step up to protect civilians, guarantee safe access for humanitarians and to fund their work, and to insist on agreements to humanitarian pauses and other arrangements that can allow us to safely reach the areas and people worst hit.
SOUTH SUDAN
Turning to South Sudan, the latest update by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) shows a deterioration in food and nutrition conditions in areas of South Sudan hit by fighting in the last few months. In Upper Nile state, people in 11 of the 13 counties are now facing emergency levels of hunger.
Of extreme concern are Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile, where people are deemed to be at-risk of famine, in the worst-case scenario. In a joint statement released today, the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization warned that humanitarian access in the conflict-affected areas remains severely constrained. The Humanitarian agencies stress that the time to act is passing quickly for thousands of families in Upper Nile who are on the brink of catastrophe.
There is more online.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
The head of the peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bintou Keita, is in Goma today.
She is there for a 3-day visit to express her solidarity with the people of Goma. She is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the M23/ Alliance du Fleuve Congo to discuss priorities of the peacekeeping mission’s mandate, notably the protection of civilians.
We should have more on the visit in the coming days.
SOUTH AFRICA
The Resident Coordinator’s Office in South Africa notes the tragic loss of life of dozens of civilians from devastating floods caused by snow and heavy rains impacting the areas of Mthatha and Butterworth in the South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.
The UN team notes that as of today, the death toll from the floods has risen to 57 people, including school children. About 127 schools in 10 districts have been damaged. This is according to the country’s Government.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Nelson Muffuh, has expressed profound sadness at such horrific loss of life and sincere condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Our team in the country is engaging with authorities and partners and accompanying efforts to help the flood victims. Search and rescue operations continue for the missing persons.
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT – USG LACROIX
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is in Vietnam today until 14 June.
During the visit, which is at the invitation of the host authorities, he will take part in a high-level forum on women in peacekeeping hosted by the Ministry of Public Security.
While in Vietnam, Mr. Lacroix will also meet with government, police and military leadership and their partners on the ground to discuss the country’s important contributions to UN Peacekeeping as well as Vietnam’s implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
Mr. Lacroix will also visit Vietnam’s Peacekeeping Training Centre where future peacekeepers are being prepared for deployment to peace operations. During his three-day visit, he will also engage with different stakeholders working in the demining field.
DISPLACED PEOPLE
The UN Refugee Agency today released a report showing that the number of people displaced by war, violence and persecution worldwide is untenably high, particularly as humanitarian funding evaporates, with the only bright spot being a pickup in returns, notably to Syria. According to UNHCR’s annual Global Trends Report, there were 122.1 million forcibly displaced people by the end of April 2025, up from 120 million at the same time last year. This represents around a decade of year-on-year increases in the number of refugees and others forced to flee their homes.
UNHCR notes that the main drivers of displacement remain large conflicts like Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine, and the continued failure to stop the fighting. The report points out that 60 per cent of people forced to flee never leave their own country. Of those who leave, the majority of them stay in neighbouring countries, with low and middle-income countries hosting 73 per cent of the world’s refugees. The full report is available online.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Earlier today in Geneva, High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk launched his Office’s 2024 annual report, which provides concrete examples of the UN’s human rights work and outlines the impact of the current UN financial situation on the activities of the UN Human Rights Office. The report is online.
INTERNATIONAL DAY
Today is the World Day Against Child Labour.
This Day is a reminder that every child around the world has the right to health, education and protection. But the sad reality is that millions of children around the world are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the country, gender or circumstances into which they are born.
